Optical cable signaling system

ABSTRACT

An optical cable signaling system includes an optical cable and an endpoint device that is connected to the optical cable. An optical cable signaling device is provided in the optical cable signaling system for signaling using the optical cable, and includes a first optical cable manipulation subsystem and a second optical cable manipulation subsystem. An optical cable signaling actuator on the optical cable signaling device is configured to move the first optical cable manipulation subsystem relative to the second optical cable manipulation subsystem to physically manipulate the optical cable such that a parameter of an optical signal transmitted through the optical cable changes. An optical cable signaling engine in the optical cable signaling device is configured to actuate the optical cable signaling actuator to communicate information to the endpoint device via changes in the parameter of the optical signal transmitted through the optical cable.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a Continuation-In-Part Application for U.S. application Ser. No.15/196,813, filed Jun. 29, 2016, entitled “SIGNALING METHOD FORLEVERAGING POWER ATTENUATION IN A MANDREL-WRAPPED OPTICAL FIBER,”attorney docket number 102450.334 (107054.01), the disclosure of whichis incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates generally to information handlingsystems, and more particularly to signaling information handling systemsusing an optical cable that connects those information handling systems.

As the value and use of information continues to increase, individualsand businesses seek additional ways to process and store information.One option available to users is information handling systems. Aninformation handling system generally processes, compiles, stores,and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or otherpurposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of theinformation. Because technology and information handling needs andrequirements vary between different users or applications, informationhandling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled,how the information is handled, how much information is processed,stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the informationmay be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in informationhandling systems allow for information handling systems to be general orconfigured for a specific user or specific use such as financialtransaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage,or global communications. In addition, information handling systems mayinclude a variety of hardware and software components that may beconfigured to process, store, and communicate information and mayinclude one or more computer systems, data storage systems, andnetworking systems.

An IHS can be configured in several different configurations rangingfrom a single, stand-alone computer system to a distributed,multi-device computer system, to a networked computer system with remoteor cloud storage systems.

An information handling system can be a part of a data center thatincludes a plurality of information handling systems interconnected viaa plurality of cables of one or more cable types (e.g., twisted paircopper, optical fiber, etc.). Those of ordinary skill in the field ofdata centers and data center infrastructure will appreciate that thenumber of cables employed in a large data center is generally verylarge. In addition, efficient and accurate cable management is acritical requirement for proper functioning and maintenance of acommercial or industrial data center, where availability expectationsroutinely exceed 99.5%. This is particularly true when equipment isupgraded to add capacity and bandwidth.

A fiber optic cable presents unique cable management challenges in termsof identifying and tracing a cable non-intrusively because conventionaloptical fiber testers require the cable to be unplugged from the sourceand connected to the tester. Nevertheless, anecdotal data suggests thatthe misconfiguration of optical cables, e.g., by plugging one or both ofthe cable's endpoints, may occur fairly frequently.

Identifying an incorrectly routed optical fiber by tracing the cable toits endpoints cannot be done with a conventional optical tester withoutunplugging one or both of the endpoints. In addition, speculativelyunplugging one or more cables in an attempt to trace or identify thecable or its endpoints is a less than ideal approach. A similarchallenge arises when maintenance personnel generate and/or update“cable tags,” tags attached to a cable that identify the cable to whichthe tag is affixed. When unplugging the cables is not an option, theyusually trace the cables to identify the endpoints and update thecorresponding tags.

Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an improved endpointsignaling system.

SUMMARY

In accordance with disclosed subject matter, issues associated withnon-intrusively tracing or otherwise identifying a particular cable in adata center or other similar environment are addressed.

In accordance with a disclosed method, a parameter of an optical signaltransmitted between two endpoints via an optical fiber is monitored. Thephysical position and orientation of the optical fiber may bemanipulated to modulate or otherwise vary the monitored parameterwithout disconnecting either endpoint of the optical fiber. Data inaccordance with the modulation of the monitored parameter may beidentified.

Manipulating the optical fiber may include modifying a position ororientation of at least some portion of the optical fiber withoutdisconnecting the optical fiber from either of the two endpoints. Aportion of the optical fiber may be wrapped around a high order modefilter (HOMF). The HOMF may include a grooved cylinder or mandrelsuitable for wrapping the optical fiber around.

The optical signal may be transmitted from a first endpoint to thesecond endpoint and the monitored parameter may include a received powerparameter indicative of an average power of the optical signal asreceived at the second endpoint. The HOMF may be a variable diameterHOMF and manipulating the optical fiber may include varying the HOMFbetween a smaller, wrapped diameter and a larger, unwrapped diameter inaccordance with a data pattern. e.g., the wrapped diameter correspondsto “1” and the unwrapped diameter corresponds to “0”.

The wrapped diameter and the unwrapped diameter may be defined relativeto a threshold diameter, above which the monitored parameter may showlittle, if any, dependence on the HOMF diameter. Similarly, the opticalfiber's mode volume and signal power is substantially independent ofHOMF diameter for HOMF diameters greater than the threshold diameter.

The wrapped portion of the optical fiber may include five turns of theHOMF or some other number of turns. The received power parametercorresponding to the unwrapped diameter of the HOMF may exceed thereceived power parameter corresponding to the wrapped diameter by avalue in a range of approximately 5% to 10%.

In at least some embodiments, a ratio of the unwrapped diameter to thewrapped diameter is in a range of approximately 1.1 to 1.5 and theoptical fiber comprises a 62.5 micron multimode fiber core within a 3 mmjacket.

The data pattern may include a sequence of binary data points andmanipulating the optical fiber may include, for each of the binary datapoints, maintaining the HOMF diameter at either the wrapped diameter orthe unwrapped diameter, in accordance with the particular data point,for a minimum duration or pulse width. If a sensor at one of theendpoints detects the monitored parameter within a particular range forthe minimum duration, a valid 1 or 0 is recognized.

The minimum pulse width may be on the order of 1 to 10 seconds. In atleast one embodiment, the binary data points are processed and signaledat a rate of approximately 0.2 Hz.

According to one embodiment, an optical cable signaling device includesa first optical cable manipulation subsystem; a second optical cablemanipulation subsystem; an optical cable signaling actuator that isconfigured to move the first optical cable manipulation subsystemrelative to the second optical cable manipulation subsystem tophysically manipulate an optical cable and change a parameter of anoptical signal transmitted through the optical cable; and a cablesignaling engine that is configured to actuate the cable signalingactuator to communicate, to an endpoint device that is coupled to theoptical cable, information via the changes in the parameter of theoptical signal that is transmitted through the optical cable.

The above summary is not intended as a comprehensive description of theclaimed subject matter but, rather, is intended to provide an overviewof the applicable subject matter. Other methods, systems, software,functionality, features and advantages of the claimed subject matterwill be or will become apparent to one with skill in the art uponexamination of the following figures and detailed written description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The description of the illustrative embodiments can be read inconjunction with the accompanying figures. It will be appreciated that,for simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements illustrated in thefigures have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, thedimensions of some of the elements may be exaggerated relative to otherelements. Embodiments incorporating teachings of the present disclosureare shown and described with respect to the figures presented herein, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a perspective/schematic view illustrating an embodiment of twoinformation handling system racks and an optical fiber connecting aninformation handling system in one of the racks to an informationhandling system in the other rack;

FIG. 2 is a cut-away cross sectional view illustrating an embodiment ofan optical fiber;

FIG. 3 is a plot view illustrating an embodiment of an optical signalparameter as a function of time;

FIG. 4A is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a HOMF;

FIG. 4B is a side view illustrating an embodiment of a HOMF;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of an apparatusfor manipulating a diameter of a wrapped portion of an optical fiber tomodulate or attenuate a power of an optical signal transmitted via theoptical fiber;

FIG. 6 is a plot view illustrating an embodiment of the optical signalparameter as a function of time while manipulating the optical fiberwith the apparatus of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a plot view illustrating an embodiment of binary dataextracted from the plot of FIG. 6 in accordance with a signalingprotocol;

FIG. 8 is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment of a method forproviding an optical fiber signaling process; and

FIG. 9 is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment of a method formanipulating the optical fiber to provide the optical fiber signalingprocess of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a schematic view illustrating an embodiment of an informationhandling system.

FIG. 11 is a schematic view illustrating an embodiment of a portion ofan optical cable signaling system including endpoint devices coupledtogether by an optical cable.

FIG. 12 is a schematic view illustrating an embodiment of an endpointdevice in the portion of the optical cable signaling system of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13A is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of an opticalcable signaling device that may be used in the optical cable signalingsystem of the present disclosure.

FIG. 13B is a side view illustrating an embodiment of the optical cablesignaling device of FIG. 13A.

FIG. 14 is a schematic view illustrating an embodiment of the opticalcable signaling device of FIGS. 13A and 13B.

FIG. 15 is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment of a method forsignaling using an optical cable.

FIG. 16 is a side view illustrating an optical cable provided in theoptical cable signaling device of FIGS. 13A and 13B.

FIG. 17 is a side view illustrating an optical cable being manipulatedby the optical cable signaling device of FIGS. 13A and 13B.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

For purposes of this disclosure, an information handling system mayinclude any instrumentality or aggregate of instrumentalities operableto compute, calculate, determine, classify, process, transmit, receive,retrieve, originate, switch, store, display, communicate, manifest,detect, record, reproduce, handle, or utilize any form of information,intelligence, or data for business, scientific, control, or otherpurposes. For example, an information handling system may be a personalcomputer (e.g., desktop or laptop), tablet computer, mobile device(e.g., personal digital assistant (PDA) or smart phone), server (e.g.,blade server or rack server), a network storage device, or any othersuitable device and may vary in size, shape, performance, functionality,and price. The information handling system may include random accessmemory (RAM), one or more processing resources such as a centralprocessing unit (CPU) or hardware or software control logic, ROM, and/orother types of nonvolatile memory. Additional components of theinformation handling system may include one or more disk drives, one ormore network ports for communicating with external devices as well asvarious input and output (I/O) devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse,touchscreen and/or a video display. The information handling system mayalso include one or more buses operable to transmit communicationsbetween the various hardware components.

In the following detailed description, specific exemplary embodiments inwhich disclosed subject matter may be practiced are described insufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice thedisclosed embodiments. For example, details such as specific methodorders, structures, elements, and connections have been presentedherein. However, it is to be understood that the specific detailspresented need not be utilized to practice embodiments of disclosedsubject matter. It is also to be understood that other embodiments maybe utilized and that logical, architectural, programmatic, mechanical,electrical and other changes may be made within the scope of thedisclosed subject matter. The following detailed description is,therefore, not to be taken as limiting the scope of the appended claimsand equivalents thereof.

References within the specification to “one embodiment,” “anembodiment,” “at least one embodiment”, or “some embodiments” and thelike indicate that a particular feature, structure, or characteristicdescribed in connection with the embodiment is included in at least oneembodiment of the present disclosure. The appearance of such phrases invarious places within the specification are not necessarily allreferring to the same embodiment, nor are separate or alternativeembodiments mutually exclusive of other embodiments. Further, variousfeatures may be described which may be exhibited by some embodiments andnot by others. Similarly, various requirements may be described whichmay be requirements for some embodiments but not for other embodiments.

It is understood that the use of specific component, device, and/orparameter names and/or corresponding acronyms thereof, such as those ofthe executing utility, logic, and/or firmware described herein, are forexample only and not meant to imply any limitations on the describedembodiments. The embodiments may thus be described with differentnomenclature and/or terminology utilized to describe the components,devices, parameters, methods and/or functions herein, withoutlimitation. References to any specific protocol or proprietary name indescribing one or more elements, features or concepts of the embodimentsare provided solely as examples of one implementation, and suchreferences do not limit the extension of the claimed embodiments toembodiments in which different elements, features, protocols, or conceptnames are utilized. Thus, each term utilized herein is to be given itsbroadest interpretation given the context in which that term isutilized.

FIG. 1 illustrates elements of an information handling system datacenter 100 in which an optical fiber 110 connects a first rack server,or another type of information handling resource 103-1, in a drawer 104of a first information handling system rack 101-1 to a second rackserver or other type of information handling resource 103-2 of a secondinformation handling system rack 101-2.

The drawers 104 of information handling system rack 101 may each includeone or more information handling system resources 103. The drawers 104illustrated in FIG. 1 include light emitting diodes 106 to indicatestatus and/or data traffic activity of different information handlingresources 103 and/or communication ports (not explicitly shown).

The optical fiber 110 of FIG. 1 is shown traversing a path from a firstendpoint 105-1 at its connection with first information handlingresource 103-1, through a first cable conduit 112-1, a cable tray 114that extends over or through a wall 115, and a second cable conduit112-2 to a second endpoint 105-2 at its connection with secondinformation handling resource 103-2. This path, which is not unusual forcables in a data center 100 of any appreciable size, suggests thepotential difficulty of tracing one of a large number of cables betweenits two endpoints or determining the endpoints of a particular cableselected at a midpoint. FIG. 1 illustrates a cable tag 116, which is aphysical tag tied or otherwise affixed to a midpoint of optical fiber110 and includes a printed or handwritten identification of itsendpoints, specified in terms of rack, drawer, switch, port, etc. Theendpoint identification that cable tag 116 provides may greatly improvethe efficiency with which a maintenance or field technician can performa particular cabling task. Determining accurate endpoint information fora cable tag 116, however, is generally laborious and time consuming forthe very reasons that make cable tags 116 useful, i.e., the difficultyof tracing one of many cables, often identical or similar in appearanceto other cables, between endpoints that may be located in differentrooms over a path that may include opaque and/or hidden conduits andcable trays that render a visual trace of a cable extremely difficult.

FIG. 2 illustrates physical elements of a fiber optic cable 110. Thefiber optic cable 110 illustrated in FIG. 2 includes a glass ortranslucent plastic fiber core 120, a cladding 119 surrounding fibercore 120, a buffer 118 surrounding cladding 119, and a jacket 117surrounding buffer 118. In multimode embodiments of data center 100,example diameters of the fiber optic elements illustrated in FIG. 2include 50 and 62.5 μm diameters for fiber core 120, a 125 μm outerdiameter for cladding 119, a 250 μm outer diameter for buffer 118, andan outer diameter of 300 μm or more for jacket 117. Diameters for theillustrated elements of optical fiber 110 may differ in otherembodiments. Some embodiments of optical fiber 110 may omit cladding 119and/or omit jacket 117 while some embodiments may include multipleconcentric buffers 118, e.g., primary and second buffers.

Multimode embodiments of optical fiber 110 may exhibit shape-dependentcharacteristics. More specifically, optical fiber 110 may exhibitoptical and/or data transmission properties that vary when anorientation, arrangement, or configuration of the optical fiber 110includes portions that are bent or curved. As an example, wrapping aportion of a multimode optical fiber around a cylindrical volume,alternatively referred to herein as a mandrel or HOMF, may attenuate apower of the signal transmitted through the fiber core due to adispersion of higher order modes occurring in the wrapped portion of theoptical fiber. The relationship between an optical signal parameter andthe curvature of the optical fiber may be non-linear.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that a multimode optical fiber may transmitdata equally well under two different physical configurations, one ofwhich attenuates the signal power or another parameter of the opticalsignal. The two physical configurations may include a firstconfiguration that encompasses a straight line configuration as well ascurved or non-straight line configurations that produce little or noattenuation of optical signal power or another parameter of interest.The second configuration may include configurations in which a curvatureof at least a portion of the optical cable is sufficient to achieve anobservable and statistically significant attenuation of the parameter ofinterest while producing no or substantially no degradation of maximumdata rate, bit error rate, or similar performance parameters.

The first and second configurations of the optical fiber may bothinclude curved or wrapped portions. As a non-limiting example, amultimode optical fiber that includes a portion wrapped around acylindrical volume may exhibit little or no appreciable attenuation ofsignal power or another parameter of interest for cylinder diametersexceeding some specific threshold. Advantageously, the differencebetween a non-attenuating diameter of the cylindrical volume and anattenuating diameter may be sufficiently small to make feasible amechanized and/or automated control of the parameter of interest toimplement a signaling technique that leverages the attenuating andshape-dependent characteristics of the optical fiber.

By controllably modulating the curvature of an optical fiber, resultingmodulations of the parameter of interest can be detected at one or bothof the optical fiber endpoints. If the curvature of the optical fiber iscontrollably modulated between two distinct curvatures, one of which isattenuating and one of which is non-attenuating, the parameter ofinterest may be digitized, i.e., represented in either of two particularstates or values. In this manner, the optical fiber may be physicallymanipulated to convey out-of-band binary data, between the twoendpoints.

Beneficially, the manipulation required to achieve the desiredmodulation may be performed without disconnecting the optical fiber fromits endpoints. Accordingly, a randomly selected optical fiber can bemanipulated to transmit a signal that can be optically or electricallyobserved at the endpoints, thereby automatically associating accurateendpoint data with the selected optical fiber.

FIG. 3 illustrates a plot 130 of a parameter of interest, associatedwith an optical signal transmitted via an optical fiber, as a functionof time. The plot 130 corresponds to an interval during which theconfiguration of the applicable optical fiber was not altered or notaltered sufficiently to attenuate the monitored parameter. For the plot130 illustrated in FIG. 3, the monitored parameter is the signal powerof the optical signal as received at a receiving endpoint. The plot line132 illustrates that the received power is substantially independent ofthe transmitted data, varying by approximately 0.5% or less throughoutthe plotted interval of time, which is roughly 25 to 30 seconds asplotted in FIG. 3. The plot line 132 of FIG. 3 indicates a receivedsignal power of slightly less than 600 microwatts, which may be used atthe value associated with a first of two binary states of the receivedpower.

Before considering received power characteristics of an optical fiberthat is manipulated in a controlled and intended manner to attenuate theparameter of interest, FIG. 4A illustrates a side elevation view of amandrel 140 that may serve as the cylindrical volume around which anoptical fiber may be wrapped to achieve a desired attenuation of theparameter of interest. The mandrel 140 illustrated in FIG. 4A includes athreaded groove pattern 142 that facilitates a mandrel wrapping processin which an optical fiber is wrapped around the mandrel 140, using thethreaded groove pattern as a guide to minimize overlap and control thenumber of windings included in the wrapped portion. The threaded groovepattern 142 of the mandrel 140 illustrated in FIG. 4A is configured toaccommodate an optical fiber 110 and to create a wrapped portion of theoptical fiber that circumnavigates the mandrel roughly five times. Thediameter of mandrel 140 is less than a threshold diameter, which may bea function of the optical core diameter as well as one or more ofvarious other factors including the dimensions and compositions of allof the various elements of the optical fiber 110 (see FIG. 2). Themandrel 140 may have a particular diameter intended for use inconjunction with a particular optical fiber configuration. In suchcases, the mandrel diameter is designed to be less than a thresholddiameter, which may be a function of the optical fiber configuration. Aminimum diameter of the mandrel may be specified by an optical fiberstandard to prevent physical breakdown of the optical fiber 110.

In at least one embodiment, the mandrel diameter is selected to satisfytwo objectives. The mandrel diameter may be chosen to achieve aparticular attenuation of the parameter of interest. In the case ofoptical signal power as the parameter of interest, the mandrel diametermay be chosen to achieve a statistically significant and observableattenuation without impacting data transmission performance of theoptical fiber 110.

In at least one embodiment, a mandrel diameter associated with anoptical signal power attenuation of approximately 5 to 10% may beselected. In the non-limiting example of a 62.5/125 multimode fiber witha 3 mm jacket, i.e., a multimode fiber having a fiber core diameter of62.5 microns and a 125 micron cladding outer diameter, wrapping theoptical fiber around a 17 mm mandrel five times may produce a powerattenuation of approximately 6% for a signal with a nominal power ofroughly 600 microwatts. The power attenuation achieved with anyparticular mandrel diameter may be influenced by one or more otherparameters and other embodiments may call for different mandreldiameters.

FIG. 4B illustrates a variable diameter mandrel 140 that may becontrollably transitioned between at least two different statescorresponding to two different mandrel diameters. In some embodiments,the variable diameter mandrel may support two or more of diameterconfigurations that are stable. In some embodiments, the variablediameter mandrel may be operable with substantially any diameter with aparticular range between a mandrel minimum diameter and a mandrelmaximum diameter. The variable diameter mandrel may be configured toadjust the mandrel diameter, electrically, mechanically, or acombination of both. In at least one embodiment, the variable diametermandrel 140 of FIG. 4B includes an embedded controller that supports aserial communication interface and includes control resources to controlthe diameter in accordance with one or more messages communicated to andfrom the variable diameter mandrel via the serial communicationinterface.

FIG. 5 illustrates mandrel control assembly 150 including the variablediameter mandrel 140 and two pairs of fiber control rollers 152-1 and152-2 coupled to a controller 151 that includes a universal serial bus(USB) connector 153. In at least one embodiment, controller 151 includesan embedded controller and firmware, i.e., program instructionsexecutable by the embedded controller, stored in flash memory or anothernon-volatile storage resource. The controller's firmware may include aself-sufficient module for controlling the variable diameter mandrel 140and the fiber control roller pairs 152 to adjust the mandrel diameteramong two or more particular values of mandrel diameters.

Controller 151 may further support a communication protocol with aninformation handling system (not shown) coupled to controller 151 viaUSB interface 153 or any of a number of serial communication protocols.The amount and/or rate of information exchanged between the informationhandling system and controller 151 may be sufficiently low to permit theuse of lower bandwidth serial communication protocols including, as anexample, 12 C.

FIG. 5 further illustrates an optical fiber 110 including a wrappedportion 111 comprising a portion of optical fiber 110 wrapped aroundvariable diameter mandrel 140. The fiber control roller pairs 152-1 and152-2 respectively engage incoming and outgoing portions 113-1 and 113-2of optical fiber 110 to manage optical fiber slack and tension whenevercontroller 151 changes the diameter of variable diameter mandrel 140.

Diameter control request messages may be generated by the informationhandling system as part of a cable management application or program tomonitor optical signal power or another parameter of interest whilemanipulating the mandrel diameter to generate a modulated out-of-bandsignal in accordance with diameter-based modulations of the signalpower. In at least one embodiment, the cable management application maysimultaneously monitor the transmitted power of a group of endpoints,e.g., all endpoints of a rack, a rack drawer, and so forth, to determinewhich endpoint corresponds to the wrapped cable.

The controller 151 may include a WiFi or other wireless communicationinterface and the cable management application may execute on orcommunicate with a mobile information handling system including, asnon-limiting examples, a laptop, smart phone, tablet, or other suitablewireless information handling system. In these embodiments, the cablemanagement application may determine which endpoint senses an opticalfiber signal exhibiting a modulating signal power and communicate theendpoint information to the mobile information handling system. In thismanner, a technician armed with a mobile information handling system maymandrel wrap a randomly selected optical fiber with the mandrel controlassembly 150, initiate execution of the cable management application tocontrol the mandrel diameter as desired, and receive the endpointinformation for the optical fiber via the mobile information handlingsystem. In this manner, cable tag information can be generated andverified quickly and accurately.

FIG. 6 illustrates a plot 160 of a monitored parameter of an opticalsignal transmitted via optical fiber 110 as the optical fiber ismanipulated as described in the preceding description. In the plot 160illustrated in FIG. 6, mandrel diameter has been controlled to oscillatebetween two diameters at a prescribed rate. The plot line 162illustrates the monitored parameter, which is the received power of theapplicable optical signal oscillating between two values of powerdifferentiated by roughly 30-50 microwatts.

The plot line 162 may be representative of an embodiment in which theoptical fiber 110 has a 62.5 micron fiber core within a 3 mm opticalfiber jacket and the variable diameter mandrel oscillates between anon-attenuating diameter of approximately 22 mm and an attenuatingdiameter of approximately 17 mm. The plot line 162 indicates that thesignal power is roughly equal to the signal power of the straight lineoptical fiber plotted in FIG. 3 when the non-attenuating mandreldiameter is operative. Plot line 162 further illustrates a powerattenuation of roughly 30 to 50 microwatts, which is roughly 5% to 9% ofthe non-attenuated power.

Accordingly, FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment in which a decrease ofroughly 23% in mandrel diameter, from 22 mm to 17 mm, produces adecrease of roughly 5% to 9% in average power. Analogous powerattenuations may be observed in configurations that employ 50/125optical fiber, i.e., 50 micron optical core diameter, using similar ordifferent values of attenuating and non-attenuating mandrel diameters.As indicated previously, the power attenuation is not associated withany corresponding drop in data transmission rates or bit error rates.Accordingly, cable management techniques disclosed herein may beperformed while user data is being transmitted via the optical fibersbeing monitored.

FIG. 7 conveys an interpretation of the modulated plot line 162 of FIG.6 according to a cable management signal protocol. As illustrated inFIG. 7, a cable management signaling protocol may define a first rangeof optical signal power as a valid range for a binary 0 and a secondrange of optical signal power for a valid range for a binary 1. FIG. 7further illustrates that a valid binary 1 is recognized when the opticalsignal power remains in the second range of optical signal power for aparticular interval of time. The interval of time illustrated in FIG. 7is approximately 5 seconds, but other embodiments may employ shorter orlonger intervals. FIG. 7 similarly illustrates a valid 0 occurring whenthe optical signal power remains within the first valid range for theparticular interval of time.

The optical fiber 110 may be coupled to an optical cable interface (notdepicted) at each of its endpoints. The optical cable interface mayinclude one or more sensors to measure or monitor one or more parametersof the optical signal. The sensors may include an optical signal powersensor that samples the power of the optical fiber from time to time,e.g., at 1 Hz, 2 Hz, or the like. Optical signal power sensors mayinclude one or more photodiodes selected for their responsiveness in theapplicable wavelengths. A valid 1 or 0 may be recognized when each ofthe readings of the monitored parameter remain in one of the two validranges for the minimum duration. Although FIG. 7 suggests that theminimum duration for a valid binary 1 and a valid binary 0 are the same,other embodiments may use different durations for valid 1s and 0s.

FIG. 7 illustrates the optical fiber generating a binary data signalincluding the binary message 1-0-1-0. The transmission rate isapproximately 1 bit/10 seconds after accounting for the approximately 5second transitions of the plot line 162 between valid intervals ofbinary data. The message generated in accordance with disclosed cablemanagement techniques may comply with standardized messages and messageprotocols.

For example, a messaging protocol may define a standard preamble of twoor more binary digits to identify protocol-compliant messages. In thisembodiment, the cable management application may produce endpointinformation only upon observing a power modulation sequence incompliance with the standardized preamble. As another example, the cablemanagement application may enable a technician to transmit a messageindicating that the applicable cable is about to be disconnected. If anendpoint detecting such a message is transmitting data, the endpoint mayinitiate responsive action including, as examples, requesting thetechnician not to disconnect the optical fiber, rerouting data traffic,etc. Still other embodiments may support different messages for otherpurposes.

FIG. 8 illustrates a flow diagram of a cable management application 200.The cable management application 200 may be executed entirely orpartially by an embedded controller in the mandrel diameter controlassembly 150 of FIG. 5 or by a general purpose central processing unitof an information handling system coupled to the mandrel diametercontrol assembly. Similarly, a mobile information handling system inwireless communication with the mandrel diameter control assembly 150may perform all or portions of method 200.

The method 200 illustrated in FIG. 8 includes initiating (block 202) themonitoring of one or more optical signal parameters of interest for anoptical signal transmitting data between two endpoints via acorresponding optical fiber. While monitoring the parameter(s) ofinterest, the position, configuration, and/or orientation of at least aportion of the optical fiber is manipulated (block 204) to attenuate,modulate, or otherwise influence the parameter(s) of interest. Asdescribed in the preceding paragraphs, the parameter of interest may beor include the optical signal power and manipulating the optical fibermay include mandrel wrapping the optical fiber and subsequentlycontrolling a diameter of the mandrel in a time-synchronized manner toproduce a desired modulation of the parameter of interest.

A sensor or other resource at an endpoint of the optical fiber may sensethe parameter of interest and, in conjunction with a cable managementapplication that supports a particular messaging protocol, identify(block 206) data indicated by the monitored parameter. Theidentification of data illustrated in FIG. 7 is an example.

The method 200 illustrated in FIG. 8 further includes interpreting(block 208) the data identified in block 206. Interpreting data may beachieved in conjunction with the messaging protocol as previouslydescribed. For example, interpreting identified data may includerecognizing data that begins with a recognized preamble and ignoringdata that lacks a recognized preamble. The monitoring of the parameterof interest may be concluded (block 210) following the interpretation ofidentified data. Other embodiments may implement continuous monitoringof the parameter of interest.

FIG. 9 illustrates a flow diagram including detail of the optical fibermanipulation operation 204 of the cable management process 200 of FIG.8. In FIG. 9, the manipulation operation 204 includes wrapping (block232) a section of the optical fiber around a variable diameter mandrel.A mandrel controller or other resource may access or obtain (block 234)message data including a sequence of binary data points. For each of thedata points in the message data, the mandrel controller or otherresource may determine (block 236) whether the data point is a binary 1.For binary 1 data points, the illustrated manipulation process 204adjusts (block 240) the mandrel diameter to a second diameter andmaintains (block 242) the mandrel diameter at the second diameter for aminimum duration. For binary 0 data points, the illustrated manipulationprocess 204 adjusts (block 250) the mandrel diameter to a first diameterand maintains (block 252) the mandrel diameter at the first diameter forthe minimum duration.

The first and second diameters correspond to an attenuating diameter anda non-attenuating diameter of the mandrel such that the applicableoptical fiber signals a binary value in accordance with the mandreldiameter.

After signaling a 1 or 0 associated with a particular data point, themanipulation operation 204 illustrated in FIG. 9 determines (block 254)whether the data message includes additional data points. If so, theillustrated operation accesses (block 256) the next binary data pointand returns to operation 236. If operation 254 determines that there areno more messages, the operation completes.

Any one or more processes or methods described above, includingprocesses and methods associated with the FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 flowdiagrams, may be embodied as a computer readable storage medium or, moresimply, a computer readable medium including processor-executableprogram instructions, also referred to as program code or software,that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform orotherwise result in the performance of the applicable operations.

While the mandrel control assembly 150 discussed above with reference toFIG. 5 provides for the benefits discussed above, the inventors of thepresent disclosure have developed a more robust mandrel control assembly(referred to below as an “optical cable signaling device”) that includesa more robust configuration (e.g., fewer moving parts) and that has beenfound to provide for a more uniform physical manipulation of opticalcables that produces a more uniform change/modulation/attenuation of theparameter of interest associated with the transmission of the opticalsignal through the optical cable. That improved optical cable signalingdevice is described in detail below, along with other features of theoptical cable signaling system of the present disclosure that areenvisioned as being helpful in understanding the operation of theoptical cable signaling system. While elements of the optical cablesignaling system discussed below that are similar to those describedabove may be explicitly called out, one of skill in the art inpossession of the present disclosure should recognize similar elementsin the discussions above and below whether or not they are explicitlycalled out.

Referring now to FIG. 10, an IHS 1000 is illustrated that includes aprocessor 1002, which is connected to a bus 1004. Bus 1004 serves as aconnection between processor 1002 and other components of IHS 1000. Aninput device 1006 is coupled to processor 1002 to provide input toprocessor 1002. Examples of input devices may include keyboards,touchscreens, pointing devices such as mouses, trackballs, andtrackpads, and/or a variety of other input devices known in the art.Programs and data are stored on a mass storage device 1008, which iscoupled to processor 1002. Examples of mass storage devices may includehard discs, optical disks, magneto-optical discs, solid-state storagedevices, and/or a variety other mass storage devices known in the art.IHS 1000 further includes a display 1010, which is coupled to processor1002 by a video controller 1012. A system memory 1014 is coupled toprocessor 1002 to provide the processor with fast storage to facilitateexecution of computer programs by processor 1002. Examples of systemmemory may include random access memory (RAM) devices such as dynamicRAM (DRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), solid state memory devices, and/ora variety of other memory devices known in the art. In an embodiment, achassis 1016 houses some or all of the components of IHS 1000. It shouldbe understood that other buses and intermediate circuits can be deployedbetween the components described above and processor 1002 to facilitateinterconnection between the components and the processor 1002.

Referring now to FIG. 11, an embodiment of a portion of an optical cablesignaling system 1100 is illustrated. In the illustrated embodiment, theportion of the optical cable signaling system 1100 includes an endpointdevice 1102 coupled to an endpoint device 1104 by an optical cable 1106.For example, the optical cable 1106 may be provided by a variety ofoptical cables (e.g., fiber optic cables) known in the art, and may becoupled to the endpoint device 1102 via a first connector 1106 a, andcoupled to the endpoint device 1104 via a second connector 1106 b. In anembodiment, either or both of the endpoint devices 1102 and 1104 may bethe IHS discussed above with reference to FIG. 10 and/or may includesome or all of the components of the IHS 100. For example, the endpointdevices 1102 and 1104 may be provided by servers, switches, storagesystems, desktop computing devices, laptop/notebook computing devices,and/or other computing devices known in the art. With reference to thediscussions above, the optical cable 1106 may be provided by the opticalfiber/fiber optic cable 110 discussed above with reference to FIGS. 1and 2, while the endpoint device 1102 may be provided by the informationhandling system resource 103-1 discussed above with reference to FIG. 1(e.g., in the drawer 104 of the first information handling system rack101-1), and the endpoint device 1104 may be provided by the informationhandling resource 103-2 discussed above with reference to FIG. 1 (e.g.,in the second information handling system rack 101-2.) However, othertypes of optical cables and/or other configurations of endpoint devices(and/or other devices connected by an optical cable) will benefit fromthe teachings of the present disclosure and thus are envisioned asfalling within its scope.

Referring now to FIG. 12, an embodiment of an endpoint device 1200 isillustrated that may be provided as either of the endpoint devices 1102and 1104 discussed above with reference to FIG. 11. As such, theendpoint device 1200 may be the IHS 100 discussed above with referenceto FIG. 11 and/or may include some or all of the components of the IHS100, and in specific embodiments may be a server, a switch, a storagesystem, a desktop computing device, a laptop/notebook computing device,and/or other computing devices known in the art. In the illustratedembodiment, the endpoint device 1200 includes a chassis 1202 that housesthe components of the IHS 1200, only some of which are illustrated inFIG. 12. For example, the chassis 1202 may house a processing system(not illustrated, but which may include the processor 1002 discussedabove with reference to FIG. 10) and a memory system (not illustrated,but which may include the system memory 1014 discussed above withreference to FIG. 10) that includes instructions that, when executed bythe processing system, cause the processing system to provide an opticalcable signal receiving engine 1204 that is configured to perform thefunctions of the optical cable signal receiving engines and endpointdevices discussed below.

The chassis 1202 may also house a storage system (not illustrated, butwhich may include the storage device 1008 discussed above with referenceto FIG. 10) that is coupled to the optical cable signal receiving engine1204 (e.g., via a coupling between the storage system and the processingsystem) and that includes an optical cable signal receiving database1206 that is configured to store information that may be utilized inproviding the functionality discussed below. The chassis 1202 may alsohouse a communication subsystem 1208 that is coupled to the opticalcable signal receiving engine 1204 (e.g., via a coupling between thecommunication subsystem and the processing system) and that may includea network interface controller (NIC), a wireless communication subsystem(e.g., a BLUETOOTH® wireless communication subsystem, a Near FieldCommunication (NFC) subsystem, and/or other wireless communicationsubsystems known in the art), and/or a variety of other communicationcomponents known in the art. As such, the communication subsystem 1208may include a port that may be connected to a connector (e.g., the firstconnector 1106 a or the second connector 1106 b) on the cable 1106discussed above with reference to FIG. 11. While a specific endpointdevice 1200 has been illustrated and described, one of skill in the artin possession of the present disclosure will recognize that endpointdevices may include other components that provide for conventionalendpoint device functionality, as well as the functionality discussedbelow, while remaining within the scope of the present disclosure.

Referring now to FIGS. 13A and 13B, an embodiment of an optical cablesignaling device 1300 is illustrated. As discussed above, the inventorsof the present disclosure have developed the optical cable signalingdevice 1300 to provide the functionality of the mandrel control assembly150 in FIG. 5, but with a more robust configuration and more uniformparameter change/modulation/attenuation. As such, in some embodimentsthe optical cable signaling device 1300 may be substituted for themandrel control assembly 150 in the discussions above. In theillustrated embodiment, the optical cable signaling device 1300 includesa chassis 1302 having a first end 1302 a, as well as a second end 1302 bthat is located opposite the chassis 1302 from the first end 1302 a. Insome embodiments, the chassis may include one or more securing elementssuch as, for example, the chassis securing elements 1302 c that arelocated on the chassis portions adjacent the first end 1302 a and thesecond end 1302 b of the chassis 1302. While not illustrated, in someembodiments, the optical cable signaling device 1300 may include a casefor housing the chassis 1302, or an attachment to the chassis 1302 thatprovides, for example, for the protection of the components of theoptical cable signaling device 1300 and/or the transport of the opticalcable signaling device 1300.

In an embodiment, the optical cable signaling device 1300 may includeone or more optical cable manipulation subsystems such as, for example,the first optical cable manipulation subsystem 1304 and the secondoptical cable manipulation subsystem 1306 illustrated in FIGS. 13A and13B. For example, the first optical cable manipulation subsystem 1304may be fixed to the chassis 1302 via a first optical cable manipulationelement support 1304 a that extends between chassis portions adjacentthe first end 1302 a and the second end 1302 b of the chassis 1302, withfirst optical cable manipulation elements 1304 b extending from thefirst optical cable manipulation element support 1304 a in a spacedapart orientation from each other. In addition, in some embodiments, thefirst optical cable manipulation subsystem 1304 may include one or moresecuring elements such as, for example, the first securing elements 1304c that are located on each of the first optical cable manipulationelements 1304 b.

Furthermore, the second optical cable manipulation subsystem 1306 may bemoveably coupled to the chassis 1302 via a second optical cablemanipulation element support 1306 a that extends between the chassisportions adjacent the first end 1302 a and the second end 1302 b of thechassis 1302, with second optical cable manipulation elements 1306 bextending from the second optical cable manipulation element support1306 a in a spaced apart orientation from each other. In addition, insome embodiments, the second optical cable manipulation subsystem 1306may include one or more securing elements such as, for example, thesecond securing elements 1306 c that are located on each of the secondoptical cable manipulation elements 1306 b. As illustrated in FIG. 13B,the second optical cable manipulation element support 1306 a may bemoveably coupled to the chassis 1302 via moveable couplings 1308 a and1308 b that are provided in the chassis portions adjacent the first end1302 a and the second end 1302 b of the chassis 1302, respectively. Inaddition, an optical cable signaling actuator 1310 may be located in thechassis portion adjacent the second end 1302 b of the chassis 1302, withthe cable signaling actuator 1310 coupled to the moveable coupling 1308b and/or the second optical cable manipulation element support 1306 a toprovide for movement of the second optical cable manipulation subsystem1306 relative to the chassis 1302, discussed in further detail below. Ina specific example, the optical cable signaling actuator 1310 may beprovided by one or more servo motors, although other actuators will fallwithin the scope of the present disclosure as well. In the illustratedembodiment, the chassis portion adjacent the second end 1302 b of thechassis 1302 includes a connector 1312 that may be configured to allowthe optical cable signaling device 1300 to be coupled to a network(e.g., by providing the connector 1312 as an Ethernet connector), acomputing device (e.g., by providing the connector 1312 as a UniversalSerial Bus (USB) connector), and/or other management systems (e.g., byproviding the connector 1312 as any other appropriate connector) toprovide for the functionality discussed below.

In the specific example illustrated in FIGS. 13A and 13B, the opticalcable signaling device 1300 is provided with the second optical cablemanipulation subsystem 1306 moveable relative to the first optical cablemanipulation subsystem 1304 from a first orientation in which the secondoptical cable manipulation subsystem 1306 is positioned above the firstoptical cable manipulation subsystem 1304 when the chassis 1302 isplaced on a support surface (as illustrated in FIGS. 13A and 13B).However, one of skill in the art in possession of the present disclosurewill recognize that the positioning and orientation of optical cablemanipulation subsystems and/or optical cable manipulation elements mayvary while still providing the functionality and benefits discussedbelow. Furthermore, in the specific example illustrated in FIGS. 13A and13B, each of the first optical cable manipulation subsystem 1304 and thesecond optical cable manipulation subsystem 1306 includes five opticalcable manipulation elements (i.e., the first optical cable manipulationelements 1304 a and the second optical cable manipulation elements 1306a, respectively) that are each provided as cylinders that are eachconfigured to physically manipulate a portion of an optical cable into ahalf-circle orientation, discussed in further detail below. However, oneof skill in the art in possession of the present disclosure willrecognize that the optical cable manipulation elements may be providedin different numbers, configurations, shapes, and/or having othercharacteristics that may still provide for changes in the parameter ofthe optical signal transmitted through the optical cable that can berecognized as information by endpoint devices, discussed in furtherdetail below. Furthermore, a variety of additional features may beprovided on the optical cable signaling device 1300 such as, forexample, additional support elements (e.g., to support the optical cablemanipulation subsystem(s)), additional cable routing features, and/orother features that would be apparent to one of skill in the art inpossession of the present disclosure. As such, a wide variety ofmodification to the optical cable signaling device 1300 illustrated inFIGS. 13A and 13B is envisioned as falling within the scope of thepresent disclosure.

Referring now to FIG. 14, an embodiment of an optical cable signalingdevice 1400 is illustrated that may be the optical cable signalingdevice 1300 discussed above with reference to FIGS. 13A and 13B. Theoptical cable signaling device 1400 includes a chassis 1402 that may bethe chassis 1302 discussed above with reference to FIGS. 13A and 13B,and that may house some or all of the components of the optical cablesignaling device 1400, only some of which are illustrated in FIG. 14.For example, the chassis 1402 may house a processing system (notillustrated, but which may include the processor 1002 discussed abovewith reference to FIG. 10) and a memory system (not illustrated, butwhich may include the system memory 1014 discussed above with referenceto FIG. 10) that includes instructions that, when executed by theprocessing system, cause the processing system to provide an opticalcable signaling engine 1404 that is configured to perform the functionsof the optical cable signaling engines and optical cable signalingdevices discussed below.

The chassis 1402 may also house a storage system (not illustrated, butwhich may include the storage device 1008 discussed above with referenceto FIG. 10) that is coupled to the optical cable signaling engine 1404(e.g., via a coupling between the storage system and the processingsystem) and that includes an optical cable signaling database 1406 thatis configured to store information that may be utilized in providing thefunctionality discussed below. The chassis 1402 may also house acommunication subsystem 1408 that is coupled to the optical cablesignaling engine 1404 (e.g., via a coupling between the communicationsubsystem and the processing system) and that may include a networkinterface controller (NIC), a wireless communication subsystem (e.g., aBLUETOOTH® wireless communication subsystem, a Near Field Communication(NFC) subsystem, and/or other wireless communication subsystems known inthe art), and/or a variety of other communication components known inthe art. In an embodiment, the communication subsystem 1408 may includethe connector 1312 discussed above with reference to FIG. 13A. Thechassis 1402 may also house an optical cable signaling actuator 1410that is coupled to the optical cable signaling engine 1404 (e.g., via acoupling between the optical cable signaling actuator 1410 and theprocessing system) and that may be provided by the optical cablesignaling actuator 1310 discussed above with reference to FIG. 13B.Furthermore, the optical cable signaling actuator 1410 may be coupled toone or more optical cable manipulation subsystems 1412 that may beprovided by the optical cable manipulation subsystem(s) described herein(e.g., the first optical cable manipulation subsystem 1304 and thesecond optical cable manipulation subsystem 1306 discussed above withreference to FIGS. 13A and 13B.)

Referring now to FIG. 15, an embodiment of a method 1500 for signalingusing an optical cable is illustrated. As discussed below, the systemsand methods of the present disclosure provide for signaling endpointdevices via an optical cable that connects those endpoint devices byphysically manipulating the optical cable using at least one opticalcable manipulation subsystem in order to change a parameter of anoptical signal being transmitted through that optical cable. Forexample, a pair of optical cable manipulation subsystems may be movedrelative to each other to engage and disengage an optical cable andphysically manipulate that optical cable between a first orientation anda second orientation. The first orientation may provide the opticalcable such that any bending of the optical cable does not substantiallyreduce a power parameter of the optical signal transmitted through theoptical cable (i.e., the power parameter of that optical signal mayremain at a value that exists when the provided optical cable is unbentor substantially straight), while the second orientation may bend theoptical cable such that a power parameter of the optical signaltransmitted through the optical cable is reduced by an amount that canbe detected by the endpoint devices coupled together via that opticalcable. As such, the changing parameter of the optical signal transmittedthrough the optical cable may be produced by the relative movement of,and engagement by, the optical cable manipulation subsystems, and theendpoints devices may monitor that changing parameter to identifyinformation (e.g., binary 1's when the parameter is unchanged, binary0's when the parameter is reduced). In experimental embodiments, thepair of optical cable manipulation subsystems each included fivecylindrical optical cable manipulation elements that each bent theoptical cable into a half circle orientation, providing the equivalentof 5 full turns of the optical cable on a conventional optical mandrelthat reduced the power parameter of the optical signal by 5-9% relativeto the unbent optical cable, providing a robust optical cable signalingdevice that enables out-of-band signaling via the optical cable (i.e.,distinct from and in addition to any signaling/information provided viathe optical signal itself).

The method 1500 begins at block 1502 where an optical cable signalingdevice receives an optical cable. Referring now to FIG. 16, anembodiment of an optical cable received by an optical cable signalingdevice is illustrated. In some examples, the optical cable signalingdevice may be an easily transportable device that a user or networkadministrator may carry with them to perform optical cable signaling to,for example, identify one or more endpoint devices that are connectedvia an optical cable of interest. However, in other examples, theoptical cable signaling device may be a relatively stationary device inwhich a user or network administrator may provide the optical cable to,for example, provide for regular out-of-band signaling to the endpointdevice(s) connected via that optical cable. However, while specific useexamples are discussed herein, one of skill in the art in possession ofthe present disclosure will recognize a variety of other uses for thecable signaling system that will fall within the scope of the presentdisclosure as well. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 16, a user ofthe optical cable signaling system of the present disclosure mayposition the chassis 1302 of the optical cable signaling device 1300 ona support surface, and then position the cable 1106 (which may connectthe endpoint devices 1102 and 1104 as discussed above) between the firstoptical cable manipulation subsystem 1304 and the second optical cablemanipulation subsystem 1306.

For example, the user or network administrator may engage respectiveportions of the optical cable 1106 with each of the chassis securingelements 1302 c on the chassis 1302, the first securing elements 1304 con the first optical cable manipulation elements 1304, and the secondsecuring elements 1306 c on the second optical cable manipulationelements 1306, as illustrated in FIG. 16. However, while the opticalcable has been described as being secured to the chassis 1302, the firstoptical cable manipulation elements 1304, and the second optical cablemanipulation elements 1306, in some embodiments the optical cable 1106may simply be positioned between the first optical cable manipulationelements 1304 and the second optical cable manipulation elements 1306without the need for securing the optical cable 1106 to the the securingelements 1302 c, 1304 c, and 1306 c (i.e., the simple positioning of theoptical cable 1106 may be sufficient to allow for the optical cablephysical manipulation discussed below without the need to secure theoptical cable 1106 to the optical cable signaling device 1300.) Thepositioning of the optical cable 1106 between the first optical cablemanipulation subsystem 1304 and the second optical cable manipulationsubsystem 1306 provides a portion of the optical cable 1106 (e.g., theportion of the optical cable 1106 between the chassis securing elements1302) in a first orientation A, an embodiment of which is illustrated inFIG. 16. With the optical cable 1106 in the first orientation A, opticalsignals transmitted through the optical cable 1106 will exhibit aparameter having a first value. For example, with the optical cable 1106in the first orientation A, optical signals transmitted through theoptical cable 1106 will exhibit a power parameter having the first valuediscussed above with reference to FIG. 3 (e.g., a power parameterexhibited in a straight optical cable or an optical cable that has notbeen sufficiently bent to cause attenuation of that power parameter.)

In the illustrated example, the securing of the optical cable 1106 tothe chassis 1302, the first optical cable manipulation elements 1304 b,and the second optical cable manipulation elements 1304 c may providethe optical cable 1106 with the bending illustrated in FIG. 16, but thechassis securing elements 1302 c, the first securing elements 1304 c andthe second securing elements 1306 c may be configured such that anybending of the optical cable 1106 does not change the parameter (e.g.,by attenuating the power parameter) of the optical signal substantiallyfrom that exhibited by an optical signal transmitted through asubstantially straight/unbent optical cable. Furthermore, one of skillin the art in possession of the present disclosure will recognize thatthe first optical cable manipulation elements 1304 b and the secondoptical cable manipulation elements 1306 b may be positioned closer thanillustrated in FIG. 16 to further reduce any bending in the opticalcable 1106 when positioned in the optical cable signaling device 1300 toensure that that parameter of the optical signal is not changed (i.e.,from that exhibited by an optical signal transmitted through asubstantially straight/unbent optical cable.) Finally, one of skill inthe art in possession of the present disclosure will recognize thatembodiments where the optical cable 1106 is not secured to the chassissecuring elements 1302 c, the first securing elements 1304 c and thesecond securing elements 1306 c, the portion of the optical cable 1106in the first orientation A may be substantially straight to provide theoptical signal with the parameter exhibiting the first value.

The method 1500 then proceeds to block 1504 where the optical cablesignaling device identifies information to transmit to endpoint devicescoupled to the optical cable. In an embodiment, at block 1504, theoptical cable signaling device 1300/1400 may identify information totransmit to the endpoint devices 1102 and/or 1104. For example, at block1504, the optical cable signaling engine 1404 may receive informationfor transmission to the endpoint devices 1102 and/or 1104 via theconnector 1312 provided in the communication subsystem 1408. As such,the information identified by the optical cable signaling device 1300may be received through a network, received from a directly connectedcomputing device, and/or received in a variety of manners that would beapparent to one of skill in the art in possession of the presentdisclosure. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the optical cablesignaling device 1300/1400 may generate, determine, or retrieve (e.g.,from the optical cable signaling database 1406) the information that isidentified for transmission to the endpoint devices 1102 and/or 1104 atblock 1504.

The method 1500 then proceeds to block 1506 where the optical cablesignaling device moves optical cable manipulation subsystems relative toeach other to physical manipulate the optical cable and change aparameter in an optical signal that is transmitted through the opticalcable. In an embodiment, at block 1506, the optical cable signalingengine 1404 may send instructions to the optical cable signalingactuator 1310/1410 that cause the optical cable signaling actuator 1410to cause relative movement of the optical cable manipulationsubsystem(s) 1412 (e.g., the first optical cable manipulation subsystem1304 and the second optical cable manipulation subsystem 1306.) Forexample, using the information identified at block 1504 of the method1500, the optical able signaling engine 1404 may generate (or retrievefrom the optical cable signaling database 1406) instructions that areconfigured to cause the relative movement of the first optical cablemanipulation subsystem 1304 and the second optical cable manipulationsubsystem 1306 discussed below, and then provide those instructions tothe optical cable signaling actuator 1310/1410.

Referring now to FIGS. 16 and 17, at block 1506 the relative movement ofthe optical cable manipulation subsystem(s) 1412 (e.g., the firstoptical cable manipulation subsystem 1304 and the second optical cablemanipulation subsystem 1306) may include the movement of the secondoptical cable manipulation subsystem 1306 towards the fixed firstoptical cable manipulation subsystem 1304 until the first optical cablemanipulation subsystem 1304 and the second optical cable manipulationsubsystem 1306 are provided in a second orientation B, illustrated inFIG. 17. In the example provided in FIG. 17, the second orientation Bprovides the first optical cable manipulation subsystem 1304 and thesecond optical cable manipulation subsystem 1306 such that the firstoptical cable manipulations elements 1304 b and the second optical cablemanipulation elements 1306 b are located on a common plane thatintersects the longitudinal axis of each of the cylinders that providethe first optical cable manipulation elements 1304 b and the secondoptical cable manipulation elements 1306 b. Furthermore, the secondorientation B of the first optical cable manipulation subsystem 1304 andthe second optical cable manipulation subsystem 1306 provides eachsection of the optical cable 1106 that engages a respective opticalcable manipulation element 1304 b/1306 b in a half-circle orientationthat replicates a half turn around a typical optical mandrel such as themandrel 140 discussed above with reference to FIG. 4A. As such, in theexample illustrated in FIG. 17, the optical cable 1106 is physicallymanipulated into 10 half circle orientations that replicate five turnsaround a typical optical mandrel.

The method 1500 then proceeds to block 1508 where the endpoint devicesmonitor the optical signal to identify the information via the changingparameter in the optical signal. In an embodiment, at block 1508, theoptical cable signal receiving engine 1204 in the endpoint device 1200(i.e., either of the endpoint devices 1102 and 1104) monitors theoptical signal received via the optical cable 1106 to identifyinformation from the changing parameter in the optical signal. As wouldbe appreciated by one of skill in the art in possession of the presentdisclosure, the endpoint devices 1102 and 1104 may communicate throughthe optical cable 1106 via the transmission of the optical signal and,specifically, light pulses that provide the optical signal transmittedthrough the optical cable 1106. At block 1508, the endpoint devices 1102and 1104 may exchange first information communicated via the lightpulses that provide the optical signal, as well as receive secondinformation communicated via the changing parameter of the opticalsignal that is provided at block 1506 via the physical manipulation ofthe optical cable 1106. However, at block 1508 the endpoint devices 1102and/or 1104 need not actually transmit any information via light pulsesthat provide the optical signal, as parameters of that optical signalmay be changed in response to physical manipulation of the optical cable1106 even when that no light pulses are provided (e.g., when light isbeing transmitted through the optical cable without pulsing that light.)

For example, at block 1506, the optical cable signaling device may movethe optical cable manipulation subsystems as discussed above tophysically manipulate the optical cable between the first orientation Aand the second orientation B. In response, at block 1508, the endpointdevices 1102 and/or 1104 may monitor the optical signal and identifybinary 1's when the optical cable 1106 is in the first orientation A andthe parameter of the optical signal has a first value, while identifyingbinary 0's when the optical cable 1106 is in the second orientation Band the parameter of the optical signal has been reduced to the secondvalue, as discussed above with reference to FIG. 7. As such, the opticalcable signal receiving engine 1204 in the endpoint device 1200 mayreceive identify a preamble that indicates that a message will be sentby the optical cable signaling device 1300/1400, and then subsequentlyidentify that message, via parameter changes in the optical signalinduced by the physical manipulation of the optical cable 1106. Whilethe discussions above with reference to FIG. 7 provide examples of thetiming of the physical manipulation of the optical cable 1106 and theresulting transmission of information via the changing parameter in theoptical signal, one of skill in the art in possession of the presentdisclosure will recognize that different timings and informationtransmission may be enabled as the control over the parameter changesbecomes more precise and immediate (e.g., via the optical cablesignaling device discussed herein) and the monitoring mechanisms in theendpoint devices because more accurate.

Furthermore, while only a first orientation A and a second orientation Bhave been described to communicate binary 1's and binary 0's, someembodiments of the present disclosure may enable more granularinformation communication via the physical manipulation of the opticalcable. For example, as the control over the parameter changes becomesmore precise and immediate (e.g., via the optical cable signaling devicediscussed herein) and the monitoring mechanisms in the endpoint devicesbecause more accurate, additional optical cable orientations may beprovided (i.e., in addition to the first orientation A and a secondorientation B) in order to produce additional values of the parameter ofthe optical signal (i.e., in addition to the first value and the secondvalue discussed above) to communication more information than simplybinary 1's and binary 0's. Furthermore, as such parameter change controland monitoring mechanisms become more precise, one of skill in the artin possession of the present disclosure will recognize that the opticalcable manipulation subsystem(s) may be reduced in complexity (e.g.,having fewer optical cable manipulation elements) while still providingdetectable parameter changes in the optical signal that may be used tocommunicate the information to endpoint devices.

In some embodiments, in response to the identification of theinformation at block 1508, the endpoint device 1200 may perform anaction. For example, the optical cable signaling system may be utilizedto identify the endpoint devices 1102 and/or 1104 connected to theoptical cable 1106 (e.g., a user or network administrator may identifythe optical cable 1106 and wish to determine one or more of the endpointdevices that are connected to that optical cable 1106), and the user ornetwork administrator may operate the optical cable signaling device1300/1400 to send information that includes a message that requests thatthe endpoint devices 1102 and/or 1104 identify themselves. In responseto receiving such a message, the optical cable signal receiving engine1204 in the endpoint device 1200 may respond by generated and sending amessage (e.g., an email, a text message, etc.) to a predefined recipient(or a recipient described in the message received by the endpoint device1400 or included in the optical cable signal receiving database 1206)that identifies that endpoint device via, for example, an InternetProtocol (IP) address, a building identifier, a rack identifier, adevice identifier, and/or any other identifying information known in theart. However, in other embodiments, the information sent via theoperation of the optical cable signaling device 1300/1400 may beutilized by the endpoint devices 1102 and/or 1104 to perform a varietyof other actions (a reset/reboot action, a firmware upgrade, adetermination of whether an endpoint device shutdown should be allowed,etc.) that will fall within the scope of the present disclosure as well.

In the embodiments discussed above, the optical cable 1106 may beprovided with a minimum amount of optical cable length that will ensurethe ability to allow its physical manipulation between the firstorientation A and the second orientation B (“optical cable slacklength”.) The following discussion provides a rough calculation toprovide a minimum optical cable slack length that will ensure that theoptical cable may be physically manipulated by the optical cablesignaling device 1300 between the first orientation A (idealized as astraight optical cable rather than the mildly bent optical cableillustrated in FIG. 16) and the second orientation B. The minimum lengthof an optical cable in the first orientation A (idealized as a straightoptical cable as discussed above, and disregarding gaps between theoptical cable manipulation elements) can be expressed in terms of thediameter of the optical cable manipulation elements (“OCME's”) asfollows:

cable length_((1st orientation))=(number of OCME's)*(OCME diameter)

The length of the optical cable in the second orientation can beexpressed in terms of the diameter of the OCMEs as follows:

$\begin{matrix}{{{cable}\mspace{14mu} {length}_{({2{nd}\mspace{14mu} {orientation}})}} = {\left( {{number}\mspace{14mu} {of}\mspace{14mu} {OCME}^{\prime}s} \right)*}} \\{\left\lbrack {\frac{1}{2}*\left( {{OCME}^{\prime}s\mspace{11mu} {circumference}} \right)} \right\rbrack} \\{= {\left( {{number}\mspace{14mu} {of}\mspace{14mu} {OCME}^{\prime}s} \right)*}} \\{\left\lbrack {\frac{1}{2}*2\pi*\left( {{OCME}\mspace{14mu} {radius}} \right)} \right\rbrack} \\{= {\left( {{number}\mspace{14mu} {of}\mspace{14mu} {OCME}^{\prime}s} \right)*\frac{1}{2}*}} \\{{\pi*\mspace{11mu} \left( {{OCME}\mspace{14mu} {diameter}} \right)}}\end{matrix}$

Thus, the optical cable slack length needed to ensure the optical cablecan be physically manipulated from the first orientation to the secondorientation is:

Optical  cable  slack  length = cable  length_((2 nd  orientation)) − cable  length_((1 st  orientation)) =   [(number  of  OCME^(′)s * (π/2) * (OCME  diameter)] −   [(number  of  OCME^(′)s) * (OCME  diameter)] =   [(number  of  OCME^(′)s) * (OCME  diameter)](π/2 − 1)

The Telecommunications Industry Association/Engineering IndustryAssociation (TIA/EIA) 568 B.1 7.1 standard and the InternationalOrganization for Standardization/International ElectrotechnicalCommission (ISO/IEC) TR 14763-3 6.22 standard (for producing powerparameter attenuations) are provided below to provide some examples ofoptical cable slack length using standard sized optical cables providedon optical cable manipulation elements that exhibit typical opticalmandrel dimensions such as those provided on the mandrel 140 discussedabove with reference to FIG. 4A:

Number Mandrel Madrel of Diameter Diameter wraps for 250 μm for 3 mmOptical fiber around Buffered (0.12) Jacketed core size Standard MandrelFiber Cable 50 μm TIA/EIA-568 5 25 mm (1.0 in) 22 mm (0.9 in) B.1 7.1ISO/IEC TR 5 15 mm (0.6 in) 15 mm (0.6 in) 14763-3 6.22 62.5 μm  TIA/EIA-568 5 20 mm (0.8 in) 17 mm (0.7 in) B.1 7.1 ISO/IEC TR 5 20 mm(0.8 in) 20 mm (0.8 in) 14763-3 6.22

As discussed above, the equivalent of 5 wraps around a typical opticalmandrel is provided by the ten optical cable manipulation elements ofthe illustrated embodiments, which each produce a half-circleorientation in the optical cable 1106 that is equivalent to half a wraparound a similarly sized optical mandrel. Thus, using the mandreldiameters above (between 0.6 inches and 1.0 inches) as our OCMEdiameters, we get:

$\begin{matrix}{{{Optical}\mspace{14mu} {cable}\mspace{14mu} {slack}\mspace{14mu} {length}} = {\left\lbrack {(10)*\left( {0.6\mspace{14mu} {inches}} \right)} \right\rbrack \left( {{\pi/2} - 1} \right)}} \\{= {3.4\mspace{14mu} {inches}}}\end{matrix}$ $\begin{matrix}{{{Optical}\mspace{14mu} {cable}\mspace{14mu} {slack}\mspace{14mu} {length}} = {\left\lbrack {(10)*\left( {1.0\mspace{14mu} {inches}} \right)} \right\rbrack \left( {{\pi/2} - 1} \right)}} \\{= {5.7\mspace{14mu} {inches}}}\end{matrix}$

However, as discussed above, the optical cable slack lengths above havebeen computed based on the assumption of a straight optical cable in thefirst orientation A, as well as disregarding gaps between the opticalcable manipulation elements. As such, one of skill in the art inpossession of the present disclosure will understand that additionlength of optical cable may be required when the optical cable is notstraight in the first orientation A (e.g., as illustrated in FIG. 16)and gaps between the optical cable manipulation elements are taken intoaccount, and may utilize more complicated equations to determine theoptical cable slack length (or simply add some optical cable length tothe computed optical cable length that compensates for thesimplifications made above.)

Thus, systems and methods have been described that provide forout-of-band signaling via physical manipulation of an optical cable thatresults in parameter changes in an optical signal that provideinformation transmission that is in addition to the informationtransmitted via light pulses that provide the optical signal. Thesystems and methods of the present disclosure utilize optical cablemanipulation subsystem(s) that engage the optical cable to physicallymanipulate that optical cable to provide the parameter changes, andprovide a robust configuration with relatively few moving parts thatprovide for uniform and reproducible physical manipulation of theoptical cable that produces uniform changes in the parameter of theoptical signal transmitted through that optical cable in order toaccurately provide the out-of-band signaling discussed above.

A computer readable medium, which may also be referred to as computerreadable memory or computer readable storage, encompasses volatile andnon-volatile media, memory, and storage, whether programmable or not,whether randomly accessible or not, and whether implemented in asemiconductor, ferro-magnetic, optical, organic, or other suitablemedium. IHSs may include two or more different types of computerreadable media and, in such systems, program code may be stored, inwhole or in part, in two or more different types of computer readablemedia.

Unless indicated otherwise, operational elements of illustrated ordescribed methods may be combined, performed simultaneously, orperformed in a different order than illustrated or described. In thisregard, use of the terms first, second, etc. does not necessarily denoteany order, importance, or preference, but may instead merely distinguishtwo or more distinct elements.

Program code for effecting described operations may be written in anyappropriate combination of programming languages and encompasses humanreadable program code including source code as well as machine readablecode including object code. Program code may be executed by a generalpurpose processor, a special purpose processor, including, asnon-limiting examples, a graphics processor, a service processor, or anembedded processor or controller.

Disclosed subject matter may be implemented in any appropriatecombination of software, firmware, and hardware. Terms includingcircuit(s), chip(s), processor(s), device(s), computer(s), desktop(s),laptop(s), system(s), and network(s) suggest at least some hardware orstructural element(s), but may encompass non-transient intangibleelements including program instruction(s) and one or more datastructures including one or more databases.

While the disclosure has been described with reference to exemplaryembodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that thedisclosure encompasses various changes and equivalents substituted forelements. Therefore, the disclosure is not limited to the particularembodiments expressly disclosed, but encompasses all embodiments fallingwithin the scope of the appended claims.

As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended toinclude the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicatesotherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification indicate thepresence of stated features, operations, elements, and/or components,but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more otherfeatures, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. An optical cable signaling system, comprising: anoptical cable; an endpoint device that is connected to the opticalcable; and an optical cable signaling device including: a first opticalcable manipulation subsystem; a second optical cable manipulationsubsystem; an optical cable signaling actuator that is configured tomove the first optical cable manipulation subsystem relative to thesecond optical cable manipulation subsystem to physically manipulate theoptical cable such that a parameter of an optical signal transmittedthrough the optical cable changes; and an optical cable signaling enginethat is configured to actuate the cable signaling actuator tocommunicate information to the endpoint device via changes in theparameter of the optical signal transmitted through the optical cable.2. The system of claim 1, wherein the optical cable signaling deviceincludes: at least one first securing element that is included on thefirst optical cable manipulation subsystem and that secures the opticalcable to the first optical cable manipulation subsystem; and at leastone second securing element that is included on the second optical cablemanipulation subsystem and that secures the optical cable to the secondoptical cable manipulation subsystem.
 3. The system of claim 1, whereinthe first optical cable manipulation subsystem includes a plurality offirst optical cable manipulation elements that are each configured tophysically manipulate the optical cable into a half-circle orientation,and wherein the second optical cable manipulation subsystem includes aplurality of second optical cable manipulation elements that are eachconfigured to physically manipulate the optical cable into a half-circleorientation.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first optical cablemanipulation subsystem includes a plurality of first optical cablemanipulation elements, wherein the second optical cable manipulationsubsystem includes a plurality of second optical cable manipulationelements, and wherein each of the first optical cable manipulationelements and each of the second optical cable manipulation elementsincludes a cylinder for physically manipulating the optical cable. 5.The system of claim 1, wherein the first optical cable manipulationsubsystem includes at least five first optical cable manipulationelements that are each configured to physically manipulate the opticalcable, and wherein the second optical cable manipulation subsystemincludes at least five second optical cable manipulation elements thatare each configured to physically manipulate the optical cable.
 6. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the first optical cable manipulationsubsystem and the second optical cable manipulation subsystem include afirst relative orientation that causes the parameter of the opticalsignal transmitted through the optical cable to be interpreted by theendpoint device a binary zero, and wherein the first optical cablemanipulation subsystem and the second optical cable manipulationsubsystem include a second relative orientation that is different thanthe first relative orientation and that causes the parameter of theoptical signal transmitted through the optical cable to be interpretedby the endpoint device as a binary one.
 7. The system of claim 1,wherein the optical cable signaling device includes: a chassis, whereinthe first optical cable manipulation subsystem is fixed to the chassis,and wherein the a second optical cable manipulation subsystem ismoveable relative to the chassis and the first optical cablemanipulation subsystem.
 8. An optical cable signaling device including:a first optical cable manipulation subsystem; a second optical cablemanipulation subsystem; an optical cable signaling actuator that isconfigured to move the first optical cable manipulation subsystemrelative to the second optical cable manipulation subsystem tophysically manipulate an optical cable and change a parameter of anoptical signal transmitted through the optical cable; and a cablesignaling engine that is configured to actuate the cable signalingactuator to communicate, to an endpoint device that is coupled to theoptical cable, information via the changes in the parameter of theoptical signal that is transmitted through the optical cable.
 9. Thedevice of claim 8, further comprising: at least one first securingelement that is included on the first optical cable manipulationsubsystem and that secures the optical cable to the first optical cablemanipulation subsystem; and at least one second securing element that isincluded on the second optical cable manipulation subsystem and thatsecures the optical cable to the second optical cable manipulationsubsystem.
 10. The device of claim 8, wherein the first optical cablemanipulation subsystem includes a plurality of first optical cablemanipulation elements that are each configured to physically manipulatethe optical cable into a half-circle orientation, and wherein the secondoptical cable manipulation subsystem includes a plurality of secondoptical cable manipulation elements that are each configured tophysically manipulate the optical cable into a half-circle orientation.11. The device of claim 8, wherein the first optical cable manipulationsubsystem includes a plurality of first optical cable manipulationelements, wherein the second optical cable manipulation subsystemincludes a plurality of second optical cable manipulation elements, andwherein each of the first optical cable manipulation elements and eachof the second optical cable manipulation elements includes a cylinderfor physically manipulating the optical cable.
 12. The device of claim8, wherein the first optical cable manipulation subsystem and the secondoptical cable manipulation subsystem include a first relativeorientation that causes the parameter of the optical signal transmittedthrough the optical cable to be interpreted by the endpoint device abinary zero, and wherein the first optical cable manipulation subsystemand the second optical cable manipulation subsystem include a secondrelative orientation that is different than the first relativeorientation and that causes the parameter of the optical signaltransmitted through the optical cable to be interpreted by the endpointdevice as a binary one.
 13. The device of claim 8, further comprising: achassis, wherein the first optical cable manipulation subsystem is fixedto the chassis, and wherein the second optical cable manipulationsubsystem is moveable relative to the chassis and the first opticalcable manipulation subsystem.
 14. A method for signaling using anoptical cable, comprising: identifying, by an optical cable signalingdevice, information to transmit to an endpoint device that is coupled toan optical cable; moving, by the optical cable signaling device, a firstoptical cable manipulation subsystem relative to a second optical cablemanipulation subsystem to physically manipulate the optical cable;changing, by the optical cable signaling device via the physicalmanipulation of the optical cable, a parameter of an optical signaltransmitted through the optical cable; and communicating, by the opticalcable signaling device to the endpoint device that is coupled to theoptical cable, the information via the changes in the parameter of theoptical signal that is transmitted through the optical cable.
 15. Themethod of claim 14, further comprising: receiving, by at least one firstsecuring element that is included on the first optical cablemanipulation subsystem, the optical cable to secure the optical cable tothe first optical cable manipulation subsystem; and receiving, by atleast one second securing element that is included on the second opticalcable manipulation subsystem, the optical cable to secure the opticalcable to the second optical cable manipulation subsystem.
 16. The methodof claim 14, further comprising: physically manipulating, by each of aplurality of first optical cable manipulation elements on the firstoptical cable manipulation subsystem, the optical cable into ahalf-circle orientation, and physically manipulating, by each of aplurality of second optical cable manipulation elements on the secondoptical cable manipulation subsystem, the optical cable into ahalf-circle orientation.
 17. The method of claim 14, wherein the firstoptical cable manipulation subsystem includes a plurality of firstoptical cable manipulation elements, wherein the second optical cablemanipulation subsystem includes a plurality of second optical cablemanipulation elements, and wherein each of the first optical cablemanipulation elements and each of the second optical cable manipulationelements includes a cylinder for physically manipulating the opticalcable.
 18. The method of claim 14, wherein the first optical cablemanipulation subsystem includes at least five first optical cablemanipulation elements that are each configured to physically manipulatethe optical cable, and wherein the second optical cable manipulationsubsystem includes at least five second optical cable manipulationelements that are each configured to physically manipulate the opticalcable.
 19. The method of claim 14, wherein the changing the parameter ofthe optical signal transmitted through the optical cable includes:providing, by the optical cable signaling device, the first opticalcable manipulation subsystem and the second optical cable manipulationsubsystem in a first relative orientation that causes the parameter ofthe optical signal transmitted through the optical cable to beinterpreted by the endpoint device a binary zero; and moving, by thecable signaling system, the first optical cable manipulation subsystemand the second optical cable manipulation subsystem into a secondrelative orientation that is different than the first relativeorientation and that causes the parameter of the optical signaltransmitted through the optical cable to be interpreted by the endpointdevice as a binary one.
 20. The method of claim 14, wherein the firstoptical cable manipulation subsystem is fixed to a chassis of theoptical cable signaling system, and wherein the second optical cablemanipulation subsystem is moveable relative to the chassis and the firstoptical cable manipulation subsystem.